Middle Fork of the Salmon River- Idaho

MIDDLE FORK OF THE SALMON RIVER- IDAHO

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho is the premier wilderness rafting trip in the US. It flows 100 miles of Wild and Scenic free-flowing river through the largest wilderness area in the US. The canyon is the second deepest in North America. The Middle Fork of the Salmon is unspoiled, remote and roadless so you can be sure you will “get away from it all”. Simply put, it is the best river run in the West!

Middle Fork River Expeditions, licensed and bonded outfitter, has run safe and well-managed river trips on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho and are celebrating our 30th Anniversary in 2010. Trips are 4 or 6 days of exciting river rafting, wilderness camping, fine fishing, and adventure travel. Our equipment is specially designed for wilderness whitewater rafting, and offers mild and wild boat choices (oar boats, paddle boats, inflatable kayaks and stand up paddling surf boards!). Our river guides are seasoned professionals, licensed by the state of Idaho and First Aid Certified. They are expert river runners, magnificent cooks, great storytellers, and knowledgeable, helpful outdoorsmen. Join Middle Fork River Expeditions for a magical wilderness river vacation this summer!

ITINERARY

Pleasearrive in Stanley, Idaho the night before the trip begins. Stanley is a 45-minute flight or 2 1/2 hour drive from Boise or a 1 hour drive from Sun Valley. We have a pre-trip orientation at the MFRE Warehouse is at 7:30pm the evening before the trip begins. We will get acquainted, answer questions, and have a short orientation to show you how to pack the waterproof gear bags we provide for your personal gear. Please note lodging in Stanley is on your own.

DAYS 1 ~ 3

Upon launching our rafts at Boundary Creek, 6000 feet above sea level, you’ll enter an enchanted forest of fir and spruce that scents the high mountain air. Sparkling clear waters careen through boulder-choked rapids with names that guides speak with reverence such as Velvet Falls, Pistol Creek and Tappan Falls. Stops at mountain hot springs and pioneer homesteads provide the perfect balance to the on-river excitement. Evenings find us relaxing by the campfire, playing horseshoes and listening to the river and watching for shooting stars!

*please note if water levels are low we may fly into Indian Creek, which an amazing flight and great way to start your adventure. The cost of this flight is $125 and will be collected at the orientation.

DAYS 4 ~ 5

As we drop in elevation, the river widens and the spruce forest opens to vistas of pine-studded mountains and we enter Impassible Canyon, where no trails can be cut as the sheer walls go up over 6,000 feet. Between rapids, you’ll drift quietly over deep pools of transparent water, home to native cutthroat and rainbow trout. Hikes underneath Waterfall Creek and up to Veil Falls are highlights for many of our guests.

DAY 6

The last day has some of the best and biggest rapids of the trip, which is a wonderful way to end a week in the largest wilderness area in the continental US. We drive back to Stanley, arriving between 4-6pm for the night before heading home in the morning. Tonight join an optional “farewell” dinner in Stanley which is on your own.

(overnight in Stanley is not included)

Dates (same dates every year)

June 2-5 ($1000 for 4 day “high water” trip)

June 11-16

June 20-25

June 29-July 4

July 7-12

July 15-20

July 23-28

July 31-Aug 5

August 8-13

August 16-21

August 24-29

Sept 1-4* (Indian Creek to Flying B Ranch)

Sept 4-7* (Flying B Ranch to Cache Bar)

Sept 12-15* (Indian Creek to Flying B Ranch)

Sept 15-18* (Flying B Ranch to Cache Bar)

Sept 19-22* (Indian Creek to Flying B Ranch)

Sept 22-25* (Flying B Ranch to Cache Bar)

Sept 26-29* (Indian Creek to Flying B Ranch)

Sept 29-Oct 2* (Flying B Ranch to Cache Bar)

* is a 4 day fishing trip with 2 to 1 guest/guide ratio

COST

6 Day trip: $1850 ($925 for kids 6-11)*

4 Day Fishing trip: $1500 ($1200 if not fishing)*

* $4.00 per day FS Recreation Enhancement Act fee

* 3% charge of the companies gross revenues are for a land use fee for operating on National Forest lands

Please Note: If water conditions warrant a fly-in and/or a fly-out from the river, there will be an additional charge of approximately $125+/person. In addition, all fishing dates require a flight in and will be charged in advance on invoice.

What’s Included

♦ground transportation from Stanley, Idaho, to the river and back to Stanley after the trip

♦meals from lunch Day 1 to lunch Day 6.

♦expert leadership with seasoned professional river guides

♦all camping equipment including 4-Man tents for 1-2 people & 2 dry bags, one for clothing and sleeping equipment and the other for smaller items to have access to during the day.

♦ sleeping bag, 2 pads (one 1” Ridgerest and one 1 ½” Therma-a rest), pillow & rain gear tops and bottoms.

♦ wetsuits or various sizes for June and early July trips.

♦all commissary equipment for meals and camp.

♦ all rafting equipment, including oar boats, paddle raft, inflatable kayaks and inflatable stand up paddling boards (when river levels permit).

What’s Not

Flights to/from Stanley, Idaho; Motel in Stanley for night before the trip and night the trip ends; possible flight charge in/out of river; insurance (we strongly recommend you purchase Travelex trip insurance offered by Middle Fork River Expeditions, which includes trip cancellation insurance); farewell dinner at end of trip; optional tipping to guides (10-15%+ of trip cost) depending on level of satisfaction.

Payments

Deposit: $500.00 per person, required for confirmed reservation.

Balance: Payable 90 days prior to launch date.

Cancellation Policy

Deposits and final payments are refundable (less $150.00 service charge per person) if written notice is received 90 days prior to your departure date. With less than 90 days notice your monies are nonrefundable. If Middle Fork River Expeditions must cancel a trip due to water levels, weather conditions, wildfires or other circumstances, your payment will be forwarded to a future date and not refunded. Custom trips and groups of ten or more have a separate payment and cancellation policy.

Travel to Stanley, Idaho

There is commercial air service to Boise, Idaho. Then you have 3 options to get to Stanley.

1) Rent a car and drive (131 miles or 3 hours)

2) Shuttle Service with Caldwell Transportation (131 miles or 3 hours)

3) Fly (45 minutes) with small Cessna airplane

Drive: Rental cars - Budget, Payless, Alamo, Hertz, Avis. Cost around $300/week.

Shuttle: Caldwell Transportation- 800-727-9925- departs at 4pm from Boise airport and 7am from Stanley. Reservation must be made 48 hours in advance. Cost is $80/one way or $155 roundtrip.

Fly: Sawtooth Flying Services- 800-798-6105 or 208-342-7888. ~$300 Boise/Stanley per person roundtrip.

Sun Valley Option: Another option is flying into Sun Valley (Hailey Airport) and take a taxi (~$150/van one-way) to Stanley, which is ~1 ½ hours north. It costs more to fly to Hailey than Boise but more convenient. WR Taxi in Hailey- 208-788-TAXI.

Lodging

Lodging is needed before and after your trip. We recommend the Sawtooth Hotel at 208-721-2459.The Sawtooth Hotel has six guest rooms in the upstairs of the main lodge building. Two suites feature king beds, private bathrooms, and mountain views. Four of the rooms have queen beds and share two conveniently located bathrooms and showers. All are decorated in old-country style and furnished with original antiques. In the area behind the main building, there are three rooms with queen beds, private bathrooms and kitchenettes. Each has a mountain view from their window.

Another option if the Sawtooth Hotel does not have space is the Mountain Village Lodge (800) 843-5475.

Call them directly after you decide on a trip date.

Orientation

Plan to arrive in Stanley, Idaho by early evening the day before your trip for our 7:30pm meeting at the MFRE warehouse, located ¼ mile west on hwy 21 from Mountain Village on the left hand side of the street, between the Triangle C Ranch and the Meadow Creek Spa. There are three wooden oars with MFRE on them at the driveway entrance. We will get acquainted and answer questions, and have a short orientation to show you how to pack the waterproof bags (one large for sleeping kit and camp clothes and one small one for on-river gear) we provide for your personal gear.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Expert Leaders

Middle Fork River Expeditions attracts gifted guides for whom leading trips is their passion. Middle Fork River Expeditions guides positively elevate your experience by being educators, companions, and the best of friends. Most MFRE guides have 10 or more years experience on rivers and all are First Aid and Swiftwater Rescue Certified and licensed by the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board.

Boats & Rapids

Middle Fork rapids are rated 1 to 4 on a scale of 1 to 6. You'll run these rapids with the aid of experienced, professional, licensed guides. In our state-of-the-art whitewater rafts, you'll run Velvet Falls, Pistol Creek, Haystack, Redside and Rubber rapids. Most guests ride in our oar powered self-bailing rafts. For the more adventurous we run a paddle boat, no experience required as your boatman steers at the stern while you and your newfound friends paddle. And when water levels permit (usually in July and August only) you can try out our single or 2 man inflatable kayaks. We also have an inflatable stand up paddle board (ISUP) to paddle around camp and in some of the flatwater sections of the river. For Fly Fishing we bring one or two drift boats along to seek out those amazing fishing holes. We rotate into all boats and craft depending on one’s desires and the guides approval. We also use a large baggage boat called a Sweep Boat that runs ahead of our group to start putting up camp for when we arrive.

River Requirements: Minimum age is 12 in June, and 6 in July to September.

Please note, all participants must be able to swim, be in good physical shape and be able to self rescue.

Hiking & Hot Springs

There is plenty of time and numerous opportunities to hike and visit hot springs during your trip. There are six hot springs to visit in the river corridor and we try to camp at or near at least one during our trip. Time and logistics permitting we hike to waterfalls, scenic grottos, Indian paintings and old miner's cabins in a given day. The Middle Fork Trail runs 80 miles along the Middle Fork, so there is always the option to hike along the river as well from any camp.

Fishing

The Middle Fork is a fisherman's paradise, a blue ribbon fishery and all fish are natives - Cutthroat Trout, Rainbows and Dolly Varden. Special fishing regulations protect the Middle Fork and help restore the fish population - (catch-and-release, no live bait, single barbless hooks.) The Middle Fork is the premier fishing experience. An Idaho State fishing license is required and may be purchased in Stanley, Idaho before the trip. Fishing is world class. The best fishing shop in Stanley is McCoy’s (208-774-3377) and you can purchase licenses, fly’s and all your fishing needs in one professional shop.

Fishing Dates

For the September Fishing dates, all trips are designed for two fishermen/boat. We bring two 16’ drift boats and all our oar boats have rotating seats attached to the rafts for easier fishing. Depending on numbers of guests, we may have a third guest ride in a fishing boat and may have a paddle boat along.

Camping

This is one of the best parts of the trip, to be lullabied to sleep by the sound of the river. We provide all camping gear for you, including sleeping bag, 2 pads, pillow, 4-man tent, rain gear tops and bottoms and all camp equipment. In the evening, we set up a camp and have chairs to relax in for meals. We bring along a wilderness porta-potty and place it in a private place with stunning views. We practice Leave No Trace camping ethics, so you are sure to learn a lot about this on the trip and be able to take some of these new skills home with you. The Middle Fork is a very pristine river and there is no bathing allowed in the river and must be done above the high water mark with biodegradable soap. We do bring along a couple of sun showers for you to use if you wish.

Food

We provide healthy and delicious meals, accompanied with lots of salads, fresh fruits and vegetables. We also use as much organic produce/products as is available in central Idaho. Our goal is to have you eat healthy meals so that you feel good and refreshed during the day with lots of energy for fun in this remote wilderness setting. If you would like a copy of our menu please call us. Vegetarian’s welcome and meat eaters alike! There are also always snacks available during the day.

Eco Focus

MFRE carbon offsets all our river trips through the purchase of Green Tags, which accounts for transportation to/from the river, as well as how much charcoal we burn. We also recycle everything from the trips (glass, plastic, aluminum etc.), including food waste which is fed to pigs at a local farm and/or composted or used in worm bins. We also recently purchased a 60 gallon vegetable oil tank to burn used cooking oil from the Mountain Village Restaurant in Stanley in our Ford F350 Diesel truck used to transport our equipment to/from the river. We also follow Leave No Trace Ethics and purchase all guest households a yearly membership to Idaho Rivers United, a non-profit organization whose focus is Salmon Recovery on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.

Weather

Idaho weather can be variable and vigorous. So come prepared with warm and cold weather clothing. There is no such thing as bad weather if you bring the right clothing. Synthetics are best for layering and keeping you warm in all weather conditions. Weather during the daytime is 75-90F and evenings 40-60F, depending on the weather. All June and Sept trips are typically cooler at night and you must bring warm gloves, ski hat and long underwear tops and bottoms.

Packing List

Sleeping bag*

Thermarest sleeping pad*

Pillow*

Raingear (sturdy jacket and pants)*

Towel & personal toiletry items

Biodegradable soap

Sunscreen lotion

Sunglasses with retainer & sun hat

Bathing suit

Wool or polypro socks - 2 pair

T-shirts – 2 (one cotton for evenings and one silk or lightweight wool for daytime- Icebreaker makes an excellent wool t-shirt)

Long sleeved shirts – 2 (one cotton for evenings and one silk or lightweight wool for daytime)

Long pants – 1 (one cotton for evenings)

Shorts – 2 (one cotton for evenings and one synthetic for daytime)

Underwear – assorted (cotton and silk)

Jacket & fleece or wool sweater

Shoes - one pair for camp & hiking (Rubber boots are great for June & Sept trips)

Shoes - one pair for boat (tennis shoes or river sandals)

Shoes- Flip Flops (optional- for drying out feet at camp)

Fishing gear (rod in sturdy hard case)

Fishing license (buy in Stanley)

Camera

Flashlight or headlamp

Water bottle with carabiner to attach to raft

Ziplock bags - handy for small items
(isolate wet articles from rest of gear)

Olay face wipes or other brand for cleaning face (optional)

* We provide tents (4 man tents for 1-2 people), a sleeping kit (sleeping bag, 2 pads and a pillow) and rain gear (tops and bottoms) for all participants.

Middle Fork River Expeditions, Box 70, Stanley, ID 83278

800-801-5146 ~ ~